#41 The Sunset Tree/ So You Want To Get Into...The Mountain Goats Part 3

Best Song: Dilauded vs Dance Music

Track List:

1.) You or Your Memory
2.) Broom People
3.) This Year
4.) Dilaudid
5.) Dance Music
6.) Dinu Lipatti’s Bones
7.) Up The Wolves
8.) Lion’s Teeth
9.) Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod
10.) Magpie
11.) Song for Dennis Brown
12.) Love Love Love
13.) Pale Green Things

Yes this post is serving two masters. Not only is this the next step of my journey through The Mountain Goats; it is also one of my favorite albums. The timing worked out extremely well… almost as if I had planned it! (wink, wink)

When I first heard this album my mind rebelled against liking it, and looking back I can’t reconstruct my reasoning. Was it the personal tone of the record? The theme of abuse? Or more realistically was it the fact that I didn’t think about the lyrics at all? If I had to guess it would probably be the last point. When you get right down to it without the lyrics this album is just good, with them it is brilliant.

Because the best way to describe The Sunset Tree is as the best book that I have never read. Every story told is beautifully blunt and cathartic. From the drunken youthful angst of “This Year” to the savage revenge dreamed in “Lion’s Teeth” to the distant sorrow expressed in “Pale Green Things”. Every word is in the right place.

Not that this album doesn’t work well musically either. It contains John Darnielle’s greatest work as a composer: “Dilauded”. This is the song that made me think that maybe The Mountain Goats were worth my while. The desperation expressed in the lyrics and vocal delivery are only matched by the driving strings. This song can only be matched by the one it flow into. “Dance Music” is all about escapism. The juxtaposition of the terrible scene depicted with the upbeat piano driven music of the song is captivating. But still the feeling that one can hide in their favorite music is one that even the happiest most well adjusted person can relate to, it is the emotional in for the album.

Now unfortunately we get the only stinker on the album after those two master pieces. “Dinu Lipatti’s Bones” isn’t a bad song, in fact I would love it…except for the fact that the vocals repel me like it’s a can of Raid. I won’t get into it here because my problem with this song is much better represented on Get Lonely which is the next album I will talk about.

The Sunset Tree is the greatest thing to ever come out of John Darnielle’s brain. It is his magnum opus and I doubt he will ever top it. He certainly didn’t with the next album he came out with.

Till next time.